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THOMAS R. GRANT, or NEWARK, joHI'o. Letters Patent No. 59,907, dated November 20, 1866;

. vSPECIFICATION. TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. GRANT, of Newark, in the county of Licking, and State. of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metallic Steam Packing for Stalling-Boxes, te.; and I do hereby declare the following to boia full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference l.being `had tothe accom#Y panying drawings, in which- Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the sections detached. Figure 3 is a diagramshowing the operation and union of the sections.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing` the sections of my metallic packing in the peculiarY manner shown, so that all the joints shall be covered, and, under' pressure of steam, closed and tight, while, when relieved of the steam pressure, they 'will slightly separate and permit the piston-rod to slide freely and with little That others may understand its construction and operation, I will particularly describe it.

' My packing is composed of sections, one of which is shown in perspective'rin fig. 2. `The several sections are lettered A. Each section has a. horizontal shoulder or oset as at B, whicbcorresponds to and fits with' a steam-tight joint, the adjoining section. These offsets are designed to cover and.breakthe perpendicular joints C, between the sections A, the latter joints necessarily being a little 'open to permitl the sections to move toward the piston-rod when steam enters behind them. The internal face of each sectionforms'a segment' of a cylinder, the diameter of which is exactly equal to the diameter of the piston-rod K, s6 that when the several `sections are pressed close tothe piston-rod, they may conform exactly to its surface and prevent any'escape of steam between said rod and sections. The external form of the sections,'A, is that of a prolate spheroid, with a central bandor flange, D. The two ends of this spheroid are encased in cups E, F, of a corresponding internal form, but externally forming portions of cylinder corresponding to the cavity of the stungdpox, G, in which `the packing is encased. The small springs, H, are introduced beneath the cup E, simply for the purpose of keeping the various parts of my packing in contact when there 4is no steam present, and to prevent rattling.

The flange D is in exterior curvature about equal to the interior curvature of the stnng-box. The upper surface of the cup F is turnedoif true so as to tit the under side of the cover I, with'a steam-tight joint. The cover I is secured to the stuffing-box by bolts or screws inthe ordinary manner. Theorico through the cover, I, to 'accommodate the piston-rod, is suiciently large to permit the rod to pass freely without leaving any coul siderable space around it; ,while the orifice fromvthe cylinder into the stalling-boxis considerably larger than the pistonrod, so that steam may enter below the cup E,Vand press it upward against the sections,`A. The joint-- pieces, J, may be employed, if it is thought to be desirable or necessary, to arrest any smallleakage of `steam due to ain-imperfect joint at B. The operation of my packing is very simple. When steam enters the cylinderin front of the piston, it also enters the'stuingbox andpresses'against the cup, E, forcing up into the box. The

eect of this is, the inclined ends of the several sections, A, are forced deeper into the cups, E and F, the joints B are driven together, and the sections A areV all compressed around the piston-rod. Y The cup F is forced up against the-cover I, and thus all the joints are made tight so that no steam can escape. This condition continues to the end of the stroke, or as long as steam pressure exists in that end of the cylinder. When the exhaust is openedand the steam pressure is removed, the various parts of thepacking relax and recede from each other slightly, just sniiicient to relieve the piston-rod from pressure and consequent friction. From the above description it will be seen that there is friction `and, resistance in the stuffing-box only during the movement of the piston-rod in one direction. If found necessary in any case, springs may be introduced above the cup E,` to ensure the relaxation of the sections when steam pressure is removed. a

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letter Patent, is-y A metallic steam packing composed of the sections A, and cups E and F, constructed as described, in combination with the sections A, and the cups E and F, the springs H, as and ffor the purpose described.

, i THOS. GRANT.`

Witnesses:

Nomos Hanauer, SAMUEL TYHUBST.

Figure 1 is a ycrtical section through the stufHng-boxl and portion oi the cylinder head showing the packing in position. 

